PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Les Tillman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khabib Namargamadov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tillman
vs
Namargamadov

196 cm
20
283 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
20
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Les Tillman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Khabib Namargamadov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Namargamadov dodges the punch combination from Tillman.
Tillman is looking to clinch but Namargamadov is avoiding it.
Namargamadov feints a counter leg kick.
Namargamadov blocks a head kick by Tillman.
Namargamadov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Namargamadov flicks out a counter leg kick but Tillman steps away.
Tillman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Namargamadov appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tillman tries to clinch up but Namargamadov circles away and keeps his distance.
A nice side step and Namargamadov releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tillman throws the kick towards the body but Namargamadov avoids it.

Tillman rushes Namargamadov and presses him up against the cage.
Tillman is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Namargamadov is keeping busy.

Tillman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tillman tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Namargamadov counters with a good low kick that Tillman was not able to check.
Tillman wants to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with an inside leg kick.
Tillman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Namargamadov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Tillman wants to clinch.
Namargamadov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Tillman tries to clinch up.
Namargamadov only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Tillman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tillman moves to clinch but Namargamadov breaks away
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick.
Tillman is breathing heavily.
Tillman throws a body shot but no joy.
Tillman tries to land a front kick but Namargamadov steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Tillman tries to clinch up.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tillman misses with a leg kick
and Namargamadov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Tillman misses with a hook to the body
and Namargamadov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Tillman wants to clinch up but Namargamadov keeps it at a distance.
Namargamadov let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Tillman throws a head kick but Namargamadov moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Namargamadov avoids the body shot from Tillman.
Tillman tries to clinch but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Tillman misses with a combination
and Namargamadov counters with a good low kick that Tillman was not able to check.
Tillman misses with the body kick
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tillman swings widly with a right hand
and Namargamadov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Tillman closes the distance looking to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tillman. Namargamadov does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tillman throws a push kick but Namargamadov slaps the foot to one side.
Namargamadov looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Tillman closes the distance looking to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with an inside leg kick.
Tillman looks to land a body kick but Namargamadov moved away.
Namargamadov appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tillman is looking to clinch.
Tillman throws a lazy head kick
and Namargamadov counters with a nice leg kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tillman misses the shot to the body.
Tillman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khabib Namargamadov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tillman throws a head kick but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Namargamadov avoids the head kick by Tillman.
A nice side step and Namargamadov releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Tillman throws a head kick but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Tillman throws a head kick that misses
and Namargamadov counters with an outside leg kick.
Tillman looks to clinch
and Namargamadov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Tillman tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Namargamadov counters with a slapping leg kick.
A low kick from Tillman is predictable there
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Namargamadov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Namargamadov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Namargamadov counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tillman tries to clinch but Namargamadov moves away
and Namargamadov counters with an inside leg kick.
Tillman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tillman looks to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with an inside leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Tillman.
Tillman throws a combination that misses
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick.
Tillman wants to clinch.
Namargamadov throws out a counter right but Tillman avoids it with no problem.
Tillman gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Namargamadov counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tillman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Namargamadov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Les Tillman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tillman tries to clinch there but Namargamadov circles away.
Tillman backing away here, and Namargamadov unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Tillman doesn't manage to clinch there - Namargamadov circles away.
Namargamadov tries a quick counter leg kick but Tillman is wise to it.
Tillman is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tillman wants to clinch up but Namargamadov keeps it at a distance.
Namargamadov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tillman swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Namargamadov swats away the attempt to clinch by Tillman.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tillman tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Namargamadov is able to avoid easily.
Tillman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Namargamadov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Namargamadov keeps the fight on the outside.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tillman tries to clinch up.
Tillman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Namargamadov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tillman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Namargamadov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A nice side step and Namargamadov releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Tillman doesn't manage to clinch there - Namargamadov circles away.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tillman throws a head kick but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Namargamadov flicks out a counter leg kick but Tillman steps away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tillman throws a sloppy head kick and Namargamadov moves out of range easily.
Namargamadov let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Tillman throws a head kick but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Namargamadov swats away the attempt to clinch by Tillman.
Tillman throws a sloppy head kick and Namargamadov moves out of range easily.
Tillman misses with a wild body shot.
Tillman throws a sloppy head kick and Namargamadov moves out of range easily.
Namargamadov only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tillman throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tillman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tillman backing away here, and Namargamadov unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Namargamadov avoids the head kick by Tillman.
Namargamadov only half commits to the counter leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khabib Namargamadov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Namargamadov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Namargamadov tries a quick counter leg kick but Tillman is wise to it.
Tillman is looking to clinch but Namargamadov is avoiding it.
Namargamadov appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tillman fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Tillman darts in trying to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with a low kick, right behind Tillman 's knee.
Tillman throws a poor cross that misses
and Namargamadov counters with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tillman swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tillman tries to clinch there but Namargamadov circles away.
Tillman misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Namargamadov counters with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Namargamadov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tillman backing away here, and Namargamadov unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
A head kick by Tillman misses
and Namargamadov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Tillman throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tillman tries to score with a low kick but Namargamadov moves his leg out of the way.
A nice side step and Namargamadov releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Tillman wants to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with a leg kick.
Tillman is looking to clinch but Namargamadov is avoiding it.
Tillman tries to clinch up
and Namargamadov counters with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tillman tries to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with a nice leg kick.
A low kick from Tillman is predictable there
and Namargamadov counters with an outside leg kick.
Namargamadov moves out of range as Tillman strikes.
Tillman swings for the body but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Namargamadov only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Tillman throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tillman is looking to wear down Namargamadov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Tillman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tillman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Namargamadov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tillman moves in looking to clinch but Namargamadov pushes him off.
Namargamadov appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tillman tries to clinch up but Namargamadov circles away and keeps his distance.
Namargamadov slips a straight right by Tillman.
Namargamadov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tillman darts in trying to clinch
and Namargamadov counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tillman's knee momentarily.
Tillman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tillman misses with a left hand
and Namargamadov counters with an inside leg kick.
Tillman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Namargamadov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Namargamadov feints a counter leg kick.
Namargamadov moves out of range as Tillman throws a body kick.
Tillman backing away here, and Namargamadov unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Tillman is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Namargamadov's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tillman misses with a body shot.
Namargamadov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tillman pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
It seemed like Namargamadov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Tillman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tillman misses the jab.
A head kick by Tillman misses
and Namargamadov counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tillman's knee momentarily.
Tillman tries to clinch but Namargamadov moves out of range.
Les Tillman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tillman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Namargamadov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Namargamadov flicks out a counter leg kick but Tillman steps away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tillman misses with a low kick.
Khabib Namargamadov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Namargamadov checks a low kick from Tillman.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khabib Namargamadov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Namargamadov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Khabib Namargamadov!
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Khabib Namargamadov!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Khabib Namargamadov!

Khabib Namargamadov wins by unanimous decision!